A “fancy without the fuss” kind of dish.
Whether you’re team beets or firmly on team beat it, I have a hunch these Roasted Beets with Whipped Goat Cheese and Oranges might just win you over. The combo of earthy, caramelized beets, creamy whipped goat cheese, and juicy orange segments is unexpectedly magical—especially when finished with a drizzle of honey and fresh herbs!
I still remember the first time I was convinced beets weren’t totally terrible—it was in the form of a Roasted Beet Salad with balsamic vinaigrette… and yep, goat cheese. That tangy bite cuts through the sweetness of the beets in all the best ways. This version is a little fresher, a little fancier, and the kind of beet and goat cheese appetizer that works just as well for a holiday side dish (hello, Thanksgiving or Christmas!) as it does for a weeknight dinner.
Bonus: All of the components can be prepped ahead, so when guests walk in, all you have to do is layer it up and serve!
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Beets: These earthy root veggies can range wildly in size, so weighing them is your best bet for accuracy. You’ll need about 6-8 medium or 3-4 large beets total. Feel free to use all red or a mix of red and golden beets!
- Goat Cheese: The flavor can vary a lot between brands, so pick one you actually enjoy eating. A plain, log-style goat cheese (chèvre) works best here. Skip anything with added flavors since you’ll be seasoning it yourself.
- Greek Yogurt: Just a spoonful makes the whipped goat cheese extra smooth and fluffy.
- Honey: That floral sweetness plays so well with the earthy beets and tangy cheese. You can sub in agave or pure maple syrup if needed.
- Fresh Herbs: Rosemary and thyme are my go-tos, but dill, oregano, or even a little tarragon would be delicious. If you’re using dried herbs, cut the amount down to about one-third.
- Oranges: Those cute little mandarin wedges look so good with the beets, but a big juicy Navel orange works great too—just cut it into bite-sized pieces. A blood orange could also be used for an even more impressive presentation!
- Pumpkin Seeds: A sprinkle on top adds the perfect pop of crunch and a pretty contrast to all those rich colors.
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Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Roast the beets in the oven.
Rinse, trim, and rub the beets with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Wrap in foil packets and roast on a baking sheet at 400°F for 40-50 minutes, or until the thickest part is fork-tender.
Pro tip: If you’re using both red and golden beets, keep them in separate foil packets so the colors don’t bleed together.
Peel and slice the beets.
Once the beets are cool enough to handle, just rub the skins off with your hands or a paper towel—they should slide right off! Cut into chunky wedges, toss them in a bowl with a little more olive oil, a drizzle of honey, salt, and pepper, then pop them in the fridge to chill until you’re ready to serve.
Pro tip: You can totally roast and dress the beets ahead of time. Just store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Whip the goat cheese.
Add the goat cheese, a spoonful of yogurt, honey, lemon juice, and fresh herbs to a small food processor or blender. Pulse a few times, then blend just until smooth and creamy.
Avoiding runny whipped goat cheese: Make sure the goat cheese is still slightly chilled when processing and don’t over-blend it. If it ends up a little too soft, just chill it in the fridge for a bit and it’ll firm right back up.
Assemble and serve it up!
Spread the whipped goat cheese in swoops on a serving platter and top with roasted beets and orange segments. Do NOT toss the oranges WITH the beets. The red will end up bleeding all over the oranges!
Finish with a handful of pumpkin seeds, a sprinkle of fresh thyme, and an optional drizzle of honey.
Pro Tip: I like to serve these up on a long rectangular white platter to really make the natural colors pop!
Ways to Switch it Up
There are so many fun ways to make this dish your own. Here are some unique ways you can switch it up!
- Try a different cheese: Not a fan of goat cheese? Whipped feta or ricotta also work great here.
- Add a bit of greens: Serve everything over a bed of arugula, baby spinach, or mixed greens for a heartier salad-style version.
- Use blood oranges: Swap in blood oranges or cara cara oranges for a more dramatic look and deeper citrus flavor.
- Mix up the crunch: Instead of pumpkin seeds, try toasted walnuts, pistachios, pecans, or even hazelnuts for a crunchy twist.
- Drizzle something new: Finish with a balsamic glaze, pomegranate molasses, or even hot honey if you want to take things up a notch.
FAQs
Absolutely! Roasted beets can be made up to 2-3 days in advance. Just store them in an airtight container in the fridge and wait to toss them with the honey and olive oil until you’re ready to serve.
For clean, pretty segments, cut off both ends of the orange, then use a paring knife to slice off the peel and pith. Carefully cut between the membranes to release each segment. If that sounds fussy, peeled mandarin wedges work great too.
You can! Let the roasted beets cool just slightly, then serve while they’re still a little warm for a cozy, wintery version of the dish. Just be careful not to melt the whipped goat cheese too much.
If you know you won’t be eating all of this at the first serving, store the whipped goat cheese and roasted beets separately and then re-assemble before serving again.
What to serve with these Roasted Beets and Orange
This recipes pairs beautifully with so many main dishes and other sides!
- Grilled or roasted meats like bacon wrapped stuffed pork tenderloin, grilled balsamic chicken, filet mignon, or spatchcock chicken.
- For sides, hearty grains and veggies such as wild rice stuffing, brown butter mashed potatoes, or a warm fall quinoa salad work perfectly.
- If you want to go lighter, try a fresh spinach salad with apple cider vinaigrette or an arugula salad tossed in a lemon vinaigrette.
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Roasted Beets with Oranges and Whipped Goat Cheese
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds beets about 7-8 medium beets
- 4 teaspoons olive oil divided
- 2 tablespoons honey divided
- ¾ teaspoon salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (8-ounce) goat cheese log broken into 1-ounce chunks
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice from 1 lemon
- 2 mandarin oranges peeled and segmented
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped roasted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- For the Roasted Beets: Rinse and trim the ends from the beets. Rub with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and sprinkle the cut sides with ¼ teaspoon salt. Wrap the beets in two foil packets and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until fork-tender.1 ½ pounds beets
- Once cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and cut the beets into 1-inch wedges.
- Transfer to a large bowl and toss with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Chill until ready to serve.¼ teaspoon black pepper
- For the Whipped Goat Cheese: Add the goat cheese, yogurt, 1 tablespoon honey, thyme, rosemary, and lemon juice to a small food processor or blender.1 (8-ounce) goat cheese log, 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Pulse 5–10 times, then blend for 10–20 seconds, or until smooth and creamy. Be careful not to over-blend since too much processing can make it runny.
- Spread the whipped goat cheese on a serving platter. Top with roasted beets and orange segments. (Do NOT toss the oranges WITH the beets. The red will end up bleeding all over the oranges!) Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and more thyme, and finish with a drizzle of honey, if desired.2 mandarin oranges, 2 tablespoons finely chopped roasted pumpkin seeds
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Notes
- Beets: Red beets were used when testing, but golden or even a mix would work great!
- Peeling the Beets: If the beet skin won’t peel easily, try rubbing it gently with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel while it’s still warm—the friction helps loosen the skin without bruising the beet. If that doesn’t work, you can also peel them under running water using a vegetable peeler or paring knife. Just be careful not to lose too much of the beet flesh!
- Oranges: You can also use one large navel orange that’s been peeled, segmented, and then the pieces are cut in half.
- Goat Cheese: Make sure the goat cheese is still slightly chilled when processing and don’t over-blend it or else it will become too runny. You can always pop it back in the refrigerator before serving to firm it up.
- Prepping Ahead: The beets can easily be prepped ahead of time up to 3 days in advance. For the whipped goat cheese, you can prepare 3 days ahead of time as well, but you’ll want to let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving so it’s a more spreadable consistency.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Delicious Beet Recipes
Now that you’ve discovered your newfound love of the roasted beet, here are a few other delicious recipes to try out next!
